Locations of Melbourne

The Victorian government has announced the locations of the next 25 "train and tram" activity centres across Melbourne. With the aim of easing the current housing crisis, the centres are intended to deliver more than 300,000 additional homes close to jobs, services and transport by 2051.

The news follows last year's announcement to expand the government's ten Activity Centres with an additional 50 locations - 25 of which have been named so far. The locations of train and tram zones were chosen based on an analysis of transport capacity, access to jobs and services, and environmental considerations.

Five stations along the Cranbourne/Pakenham Line add to the seven Metro Tunnel line destinations already slated for densification. These include Caulfield, Springvale, Noble Park, Yarraman and Dandenong Stations, along with Carnegie, Hughesdale, Murrumbeena, Oakleigh, Middle Footscray, West Footscray and Tottenham Stations.

Along the Frankston Line, the four additional stations announced are Glen Huntly, Ormond, Bentleigh and Mentone. These join Toorak, Hawksburn, Armadale and Malvern Stations.

The four locations newly announced along the Sandringham Line include South Yarra, Prahran, Windsor and Elsternwick Stations, adding to North Brighton, Middle Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham Stations.

On the Alamein Line, two new centres include Ashburton Station, and a combined Activity Centre for Riversdale and Willison stations.

The Glen Waverley Line also includes two new centres at East Malvern and Holmesglen Stations, adding to the three locations already announced, which include Tooronga Station, Darling Station, plus a combined location covering both Gardiner and Glen Iris Stations.

In the north, Coburg and Brunswick stations have been targeted along the Upfield Line, and Heidelberg Station added on the Hurstbridge Line.

Along key tram corridors, three newly slated Activity Centres include two centres in Darebin along High Street and St Georges Road, and one in Boroondara at Kew Junction.

Finally, the state government will work collaboratively with councils on two "city-wide" activity centres in the Inner City (Yarra) and Inner City (City of Melbourne).

At each of the Activity Centre locations, new planning controls are designed to encourage higher-density housing. According to a release from Premier Jacinta Allan, "The vision for train and tram zones is gentle density, with more multi-storey residential buildings in the immediate 'core' at the station or tram corridor, with gentler, scaled height limits and more low-rise apartments and townhouses alongside existing houses in the walkable catchments surrounding."

According to the state government website, the first 25 centres will be delivered in 2 tranches over the next 12 months. Consultation with community on the first tranche of train and tram zones will open in April, with local residents soon provided with information on how to have their say.

The plans for the 10 initial activity centres are currently being finalised and are scheduled to be implemented by the end of March.